The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-08-18
SLEEPING WONDERS.
FEATs ACCOMPLISHED BY PEOPLE
IN THE ARMS OF MORPHEUS.
Indians Sleeping at the Stake of Tor:
ture-Slumber During Cannonade.
influence of Habit, Timo and Circum.
stancc-Extrnorilinnry Phenomcnn.

Indians Sleeping at the Stake of Tor
ture-Slumber During Cannonade.
influence of Habit, Timc and Circum.
Notwithstanding Phenomena.
Sleep in most individuals lasts for the
space Of eight hours. Exceptions to this
statement are numerous; whether these
arise from duty or lnzincss we shall not
venture to examine. Sir +. Codrington,
the famous naval officer, when Il midship-
man, could watch OH deck for nineteen
hours; this left only five for sleep, which
in his case was most profound-so pro-
found that no noise was sufficiently strong
to wakcn him: yet if the word "Sisnal!''
was whispered in his ear he awoke and
was on deck instantly.
Reporters Of the house of commons re-
quire great eNertions to keep themselves
from sleeping A few years ago n dis
tinguished member of 'thc gentlemen in
the gallery took down speech while lie
was sleeping. His statement rests on his
oath. Calvin tells of friend of his read
ing aloud to him while asleep. The organ
of vision was alone active.
Coleridge, the dreaming philosopher,
composed ''Kubla Khan" lone of his
poems) while fast asleep. Next morning
he was sure there had been an acquisition
to his literature, but was too negligent to
write the stanzas. A few days afterward
he attempted to recall the verses, but they
had for the most part fled, and the poem
rs it now stands is but fragment.
IN SPITE OF SURROUNDINGS.
Every one knows thnt extreme fatigue
induces sleep, and this in spite of sur
rounding relations, which in ordinary cir
cnlnstances would hinder any one from
resting. Previous to the shortening of
the hours of work factory children frc-
quently fell asleep while working at the
machines, although we'll aware that they
would incur severe punishment by doing
so. The North American Indian, at the
stake of torture, has been known to 90 to
sleep on the least remission of agony, and
will slumber until the fire is applied to
awaken him.
It is on record that during the heat of
the battle of the Nile some of the over
fatigued boys fell asleep upon the deck,
and during the attack upon Rangoon, in
the Burmese war, the captain of one of
the steam frigates most actively engaged,
worn ont by the excess of continued men-
tai tension, fell asleep and remained per-
fectly unconscious for two hours within
yard of his largest guns, which were
being worked energetically the whole
period.
Habit and time, place and circumstances
predispose MS all to sleep. The celebrated
pedestrian, Capt. Barclay, when accom-
plishing his extraordinary feat of walking
1000 miles in as many successive hours,
obtained at last such mastery over him
self that he fell asleep the instant he lay
down. The Doctors wife never hears the
door bell during the night, although the
noise is sufficient to rouse the wearicd
husband; but should child In the nur-
sery cry, then the mother, oblivious to all
other sounds, hears at once the infants
voice.
EXTRAORDINARY PHENOMENA.
tits related that the Able Faria, who
acquired notoriety. through his power of
inducing somnambulism, was accustomed
merely to place his patient in nm armchair,
after telling him to shut his eyes and COL
lect himself, and pronounce in q strong
toice, s'dormer,n wbich was usually Sic
cessful. -
There seems to be no limit to tho
wonders displayed by man in sleeping.
Condercet, the mathematician, solved one
of his most difficult problems while asleep
"a problem, too, which puzzled him dur.
ing his waking hours. A professor OF
theology in the University Of Basle once
wrote sermon while asleep; he found it
on his desk next morning The preceding
night he could not grapple with the sub
ject rs he desired, but the performance OF
his sleeping hours was quite satisfactory
to him.
Jenny Lind was one of the most cele-
brated singers of her time. No one could
rival her powers except factory girl,
who sang sometimes better than the fa-
nous Jenny. The girl could not attempt
any difficult piece when awake, but when
sleeping she sang so correctly, so like the
renowned artistic, that it was difficult to
distinguish between their voices. On one
occasion Nine. Lind heard the girl, who
even tested the accuracy Of her powers by
giving her long and elaborate chromatic
exercise. This. the. sleeping girl per-
formed, much to the wonder Of the fa-
nous Swedish ger.-London Telegraph.